BARCELONA—Less is more. In the 2025 Volvo EX30’s case, this axiom couldn’t make more sense as this vehicle is a clear example that, when you downsize everything on a car, especially an electric one, everyone ends up winning. I flew to Spain, to give this little guy a run for its money during its world launch.
I began by driving out of busy Barcelona, where the inevitable sight of the Mediterranean Sea to my left as I climbed a mountain instantly had me feeling like I was on vacation.
Spanish roads are narrow and smooth and the Spaniards have a heavy foot. It was the perfect playground to sample the EX30 Twin Motor’s impressive performance.
The EX30 is Volvo’s latest electric creation, a subcompact crossover that’s even smaller than the already tiny XC40/C40 twins. And it delivers a solid uppercut in the face of the premium EV space. Nobody currently builds something quite like it in this price bracket.
Volvo will sell a lot of these.
Perhaps the EX30’s most intriguing element is its design. When seen from far away or out of context, this Volvo appears rather big and boxy. But when you walk up to it or park it next to other cars, you quickly realize that it’s no larger than a Chevrolet Bolt EV. It’s a smart way to fool the eye and create illusions of proportion.
It’s also properly cute, carrying with it the expected clean, minimalist design of Scandinavian products, all while borrowing styling cues from Volvo’s largest electric SUV, the EX90. There are no unnecessary lines on this design. Subtle details, such as the broken-up LED tail lights, give it a graceful sense of style.
When the EX30 hits Canadian showroom floors next summer, it’ll come with only one battery option, a liquid-cooled, lithium-ion NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) 64 kilowatt-hour usable (69 kWh nominal, or total, battery capacity) unit.
Consumers will then be able to choose between rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, where range, horsepower and torque figures will differ. For instance, a rear-wheel drive EX30, which kicks off at $53,700 before applicable rebates, cranks out 200 kilowatts, or the equivalent of 268 horsepower and 253 pounds-feet of torque (motive force). Range for that one is EPA-estimated at 442 kilometres, while the 0-100 km/h acceleration time is achieved in a brisk 5.3 seconds.
Then there’s the all-wheel drive model, or the one Volvo calls the Twin Motor Performance. Kicking off at $59,900, it’s good for a combined output of 315 kilowatts (115, plus 200), or 422 horsepower and 400 lbs.-ft. of torque. Range for that one is claimed at an equally satisfactory 426 km, and it’ll sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in a blistering 3.6 seconds.
It is a seriously fast little car.
All EX30s are compatible with a 153-kilowatt fast charger, which enables the car to replenish its battery from 10 per cent to 80 per cent charge in under 30 minutes in ideal conditions. Home charging on the standard Level 2 charger will take about eight hours at the rate of 11 kilowatts.
Volvo prides itself that the manufacture of the EX30 produces the least amount of CO2 than the building of any other vehicle in its history. Coincidentally, it’s also the quickest vehicle it has ever sold, a classic case of Scandinavian minimalism at play here where the consumer truly is receiving more from less.
Inside the EX30, there are no buttons; everything on the car is operated via a centre tablet infotainment system. Rearview mirrors, driving aids and even the Performance mode, which unleashes the Twin Motor model’s full force, are controlled from that screen. The only two buttons at your disposal are the two window switches, which operate four windows. Yes, just two buttons, with a third haptic sensor to activate the rear windows. Awkwardly sitting on the centre console, these buttons are not very intuitive and are a clear case of trying too hard.
Surprisingly comfortable and spacious inside given its size, the EX30, in all forms, impresses through its quick acceleration off the line. If the rear-wheel drive model is, in my book at least, sufficient to satisfy any performance junky’s needs, the Twin-Motor model proved to be an absolute blast to toss around picturesque Spanish roads.
What’s interesting about that model is that, by default, it prioritizes rear-wheel drive by decoupling the front motor. Gun the throttle or activate Performance mode, and that front motor locks in, unleashing full forward thrust. It’s a clever gimmick that enables the all-powerful twin-motor version to still pull decent real-world range. (I’ll need to give the 2025 Volvo EX30 a longer, more thorough test on Canadian roads to adequately assess its energy consumption and range.)
One thing’s for sure: this is a fresh new take in the EV space.
It’s further proof that we don’t need big stonking trucks and SUVs for compelling electric vehicles.
The EX30 is something big in a small package.
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